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Fall, 1937 DRAMA SCHOOL FOR RURAL ONTARIO The possibilities and importance of drama in rural Ontario can hardly be estimated. The great number of plays produced annually indicatohow im- ortant drama is, and, in spite of the fact that many of the_plays are pro- duced in order _to raise money, the deeper satisfactions that come from dramatic activity are recognized and appreciated. It is these deeper satis- factions that constitute the real im- portance of drama. Dramatics is one of the most valu- able recreational activities that any individual or community can share. Good drama provides healthy release for the emotions. scope for the imagâ€" ination, opportunity for intellectual activity and opportunity for the de- velomeDI: of character through the svmpathetic understanding and interâ€" pretation of character. As a com- munity activity, drama takes first place. It has a place for every kind of person and a use for every kind of ability, and because the audience is as important as the players, the whole community is the base on which good drama is built. Because of the possibilities and im- portance of drama, the Community Welfare Council is organizing these winter Drama Institutes. These insti- tutes are schools where rural direc- tors, actors and audiences can get the training they feel they need. The in- stitutes will provide instruction for young people and adults in acting. in direction, in lighting, makeup, cos- turning, etc. The curricula for the in- stitutes will be drawn up by the people who are going to attend them. If the group organizing the institute feels that they need instruction in acting more than anything else, then the emphasis in the institute will be on acting. Not all subjects can be covâ€" ered but those most necessary will be taught. The audience also will have a place in the programme of these institutes. Too often all the players ask of their audience is indiscriminate praise and too often the audience is content to remark on "how well they did their parts". But.the audience is as im- portant as the players. Good drama depends on an appreciative and sym- pathetic audience. So the institute will hold lectures to which every one will be invited. The institutes must be orgapized co- operatively. In every district there are various groups, the Junior Far more, the Women’s Institutes, the Young People Societies, which regu- larly produce plays. An institute in any given district will be organized by groups in that district. They Will organize the institute with the help of the Community Welfare Council. To- gether with the help of the instructor, they will draw up the programme of the institute They will bear the local expenses and the Council will pay the salary of the instructor. Finally, if the co-operating group organizes a festival the instructor at the institute will be the adjudicator. At this kind of festival the competi- tive element will be absent, and in- stead of competition the whole group and the community will share the cul- minating activity of a Winter's work and Play. Good drama in Ontario will be de- termined by the extent to which the whole community takes part. An inâ€" terested individual here and there. or a few hard-working groups can never realize the possi lities for good drama that en‘st in the province. 'Dra'ma is very important in recrea- tion and there are great possibilities 0! a genuinely good and creative drama movement in rural Ontario. Rura_l_groups have already seen the possibilities, and it is the Council’s hope that the Drama Institute may be a means of securing for rural groups gm necessary guidance and instruc- on. _(Contribnted by Mr. David Smith, Director of Recreation, Community Welfare Council of Ontario.) HOME AND COUNTRY Promote More Reading by Travelling Library Service Many a rural community in Ontario has scarcely an up-to-date or desir- able book avuilable for its residents. Only 2i few are owned by local families and the nearest public library is miles away. In such cases, the local Wo- men’s Institute should be helpful and make a point of securing a travelling library from the Libraries Branch. Department of Education, Toronto. The way to do this is outlined on page £8 If the Women’s Institute Hand 00 i The superintendent of Women's Inâ€" stitutes has recently received a letter from Mr. Angus Mowat, Inspector of Libraries. It follows: Dear Miss McDermand,â€" Thank you very much for the four copies of "Home and Country". I have looked through these with in- terest and have been particularly in- terested to see that in each "News Flashes" column, along with the amazing number of other undertak» ings, mention has been made of some kind of library activity. One branch has established a circu- lating library through the book con- tributions of its members; another ofi'ers financial help to the local lib- rary; the library committee of another has been the means of opening a com- munity libraryr And so it goes. All pointing again and again to the thing we already know, namely, that, if a detailed history of the public library movement in Ontario is ever written. the name of the Women's Institute must have ii very important place in itâ€"ii very important and a very hon- ourable place. That is a plain statement of self- evident fact, and it gives me some- thing to wonder about. You see, I know what the Women’s Institute has done in the post for lib- rary service in Ontario: I know of innumerable instances in which its members are helping that service to- day; I know that when we organized on emergency travelling library sys- tem out of the Saskatoon Public Lib- rary in 1933 it was the Women’s In- stitute (under its Western name of "Homemnkers’ Club") that made the greatest use of it. So what I am wondering about, with all this evidence before me, is why the institute branches (1,360 of them) have borrowed only 38 travelling lib- raries from this branch this year! The majority of districts in which branches are organized are not ade- quately served by public libraries The demand (and need) for wider and bet- ter reading is growing stronger all the time. And only thirty-eight~ lib- raries have gone to the institute people this year! I wish I knew the answer. Perhaps this letter will invite replies that will tell me. Is it that the libraries are too small? Doesn’t the selection suit‘.7 Has the standing offer been forgotten or overlooked? Is the cost of trans- portation too high? Again I repeat, I wish I knew the answer, because there’s something wrong somewhere â€"and it may be our fault. The following information for a re- minder: There are 40,000 volumes represent- ing 10,000 titles in the Travelling Library collection. The object is to supplement the stocks of the smaller libraries and to serve schools, Wo- men’s Institutes, study circles, etc., in centres where public library service is not available Requests for special types of books will be filled as far as possible. The books are sent out in cases containing 40-50 volumes. The only expense to the borrowing group is transportation one way. The loan is for four months, or the books may be returned and exchanged as soon as you like. Last year only 76 Women’s Institute branches borrowed libraries. notwith- standing the fact that books on handi- crafts and suggested titles from the Education Committee were purchased especially for their use. Special cases were also prepared for centres in which Women’s Institute classes in home economics were held. In some places, to which these special cases went, the use of books was most satis« falctory. In others it was practically n1 . May I hope that this letter will be be taken as an invitation to correâ€" spondence'! Whatever the difliculty may be. I feel that, if I could have your comments, suggestions and critâ€" icismsâ€"either personally or through the columns of "Home and Country" we could probably do something to overcome it. And I say this in good faith because, next to the more effec- tive public libraries, I believe there is no organization in the country better fitted to bring books and people to- gether than the institute. Yours sincerely, Angus Mownt, Inspector of Public Libraries. _â€"____â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€" INSTITUTE INITIATIVE DEVELOPED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE The Wiarton branch in its develop- ment of the Blue Water Beach on Colpoy’s Bay, has demonstrated that a local Women's Institute may initiate and manage is successful community project. Until 1921 the present site known as Blue Water Beach at Wiarton was merely an old sawmill yard and con- sidered a strip of waste land along the shore. During the hot summer of that year, the local Women's Institute built bath-houses to accommodate the bothers who frequented Colpoy’s Bay. At the some time the oflicers of the institute, headed by Mrs. .H‘ough, the president, saw the possibilities of a tourist camp. They negotiated to get control of the old sawmill property and in 1923 the town council granted the Women's Institute a long lease. The beach was cleaned and land- scaped and, for the .first few years, fire-places were prowded .for the use of tourists and picnic parties. In 1927 the institute purchased an old boat- house and converted it into is kitchen. This was followed in 1928 by the mak- ing of a good playground and providâ€" (Continued on page 4, col. 1.) HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS NEW BABY BULLETIN Mrs. F. J. Nickle. Convener of Health and Child Welfare is pleased to announce that the revised edition of “The Baby", published by the 0n~ tar-in Department of Health, is now available for distribution. A copy has been mailed to each local Women's Institute secretary. The booklet is available to the insti« totes in quantity lots on condition that the request is endorsed by the medical ofiicer of health. The Department of Health is anxious that this new book- let on taking care of the baby should reach all mothers who may wish to use it, and would appreciate having the local health authorities informed in regard to the health and child wel- fare work carried on in the munici- polity. (Continued from page 3, col. 4.) of the County emphasized civic res- ponsibility and encouraged the insti- tute members to take a part in muni- ci iil affairs. He favoured women on sc ool boards and councils and assured his audience that they had a responsi- bility in helping bring about better social legislation. _ (Contributed by Miss M. Viola Powell, General Assistant.) CONVENTIONS IN NORTHERN AREAS In early September, a group of wo- men arrived at Elk Lake in the Temis‘ kaming district and were immediately greeted by three ladies of the Recep- tion Committee. The visitors were directed to o building mode attractive with flowers and decorations in blue and gold. The Convener of the billetâ€" ing committee arranged to have every delegate comfortably housed with a congenial hostess. At the round table discussion on the responsibilities of the branch institute. the members freely asked nnd discuss- ed questions on problems of organiza- tion. The delegates enjoyed the well pre- pared, wholesome fond, attractively served without effort on their part and carried back to their homes new ideas in food and nutrition. Evidence of the non-sectarian nature of the con- vention was demonstrated by having the local clergy of both the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches on the programme. The sessions concluded with a visit to the nearby mines where too was served to the delegates. Original wuys of creating interest in different branches of work were re- ported at Little Current. The con» vener for Historicul Research hail a small but excellent exhibit of articles of historical interest. A story accom- panied each exhibit. some of which dated brick to the 16th century. At Richard’s Landing, interest in histori- cal research was stimulated by the Provincial President in her curiosity concerning the origin of the names of the local places. Keen interest in re- search was shown by the wealth of historical facts contributed by many members. A visit to the small but well equip» ped hospital gave one the assurance that medical and nursing care of the sick was available in the community. The women of the institutes devote many hours to sewing and assist gen- erously in the upkeep of the hospital. A group of more than sixty inter- ested women attended on oillccrs' training school on Mnnitoulin Islnnil. District directors were surprised to learn they had a definite place and re- sponsibility in the branch and district. Committee conveners received hpr in directing their work. A wealth of good will Ilfld welcome pervaded the two days of the Kenom Convention. The convcncr of the hil- letini: committee, the chairman of the convention, and all the officers looked after the pleasure, comfort and well- being of the visitors. For the first time in the history of Women’s Insti- tutes, delegates arrived by bus, motor, boot and plane. This convention stressed legislation, The area convencr gave clear and practical helps on Banking Lows. The local representutivcs of the Mothers’ Allowance and Old Age Pensions Bonrds explained the functions of the Acts in a most informative and con- cise manner. The Muskoka-Pnrry Souan dele- gates were aware of the opportunities for service. Reports were given by each area convener. A publicity re- porter was named by the convention to furnish convention high lights to six local papers. A lively discussion of branch resâ€" ponsibilities cleared up vogue points and gave definite girl to new officers. Better organization for conventions was also discussed. Reports showed that the Women's Institutes, especi- ally in isolated sections, play the part of the official good neighbours where there is bereavement, sickness and need. In all areas, institute momlic’rs are meeting their responsibilities in civic life, by serving on the local school and wolfare boards. The Barrie Convention continued to stress Mental' Health and Peoce Edu« cation without neglecting other in- terests. The luncheon speaker, the Warden (Continued on page 8, col. 8.)